International Day of Action

Saturday 6th May

Don’t Attack Iran

Saturday 6th May saw an International day of action in opposition to military action against Iran. In Edinburgh, Scotland’s capital, around 70 activists gathered in the Mound precinct by the National Gallery of Scotland to hear a number of speakers warn of the perils of attacking Iran.

The speakers started at around 12.30 with Zahid Ali who said that America was on the warpath again. Bush’s poll ratings are falling and Bush plans to attack Iran. There is an attempt to link Iran with 9/11 amid accusations that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. The message the West is sending out is that to avoid being attacked get nuclear weapons like North Korea. Zahid said America was invading and destabilising other countries. He spoke of the awful effects of the war and sanctions on Iraq and of the hypocrisy of the West in allowing some countries to have nuclear weapons but not others.

The second speaker was Carole Abudaib who said that it was not a war on terror but a war OF terror and that the people of Iraq were terrified. Carole is married to an Iraqi doctor and is in regular touch with people back in Iraq. The US and Britain have dropped weapons of mass destruction on Iraq meaning depleted uranium. She urged people to look up the two words depleted uranium (DU) in any Internet search engine. This substance which is radioactive for billions of years has caused huge increases in cancer rates in Iraq and has affected some 300,00 returning US servicemen. She added that there were still serious shortages of water, electricity and medicines and asked, “Is this the democracy the Americans promised?” The US is building permanent military bases in Iraq, which will have every luxury including their own shopping malls. The US has no intention of withdrawing from Iraq. She finished by saying that the awful suffering on Iraq should not be inflicted on Iran.

Next was Linda Henry of an indigenous Native American organisation. She expressed some disappointment at the small turnout. She stated that the Americans had destroyed archaeological sites in Iraq.


Kevin Connor, who chaired the event, asked listeners to look at the website defendiran.org

Vanesa Fuertes of Edinburgh Stop the war encouraged people to come to the regular meetings of Stop the War on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. The website of Edinburgh Stop the War: www.edinburghstw.org.uk

A speaker for the Scottish Socialist Party spoke briefly in place of Rosie Kane MSP who was otherwise engaged.

The protest finished with some music at about one thirty.



Protests around the world

The demonstrations worldwide seem to have been a bit of a damp squib, I could not find any reports from the USA, Canada or Australia on their Indymedia sites. There was one called for Sydney (see below). There was nothing on the Indymedia London site. The biggest protest seems to have been in Athens, Greece where of course the European Social Forum is being held.

Here is a list of the demonstrations called in the UK

All London Protest: Friends Meeting House (near Euston) 1pm.
Bath: Sat 6 May 11.30 am Outside Bath Abbey. Gather with placards for an hour's vigil. More Info: 01225 480782. Organised by Bath Stop the War Coalition.
Birmingham: Sat 6 May 2pm Outside the Bullring, City Centre. More Info: 07905 212 297
Brighton Sat 6 May 2pm, Churchill Square. More info: 07815 983022, email  info@safp.org.uk
Bristol Sat 6 May 1pm, City Centre (Opposite The Hippodrome). More info:  bristolstopwar@hotmail.com
Cambridge Die-In: Sat 6 May 2pm, Market Square. More info: Tel 07711 919 275
Cardiff Public Meeting: Fri 28 April 7pm, Charles Street. Speaker Roudabeh Shafie (Action Iran). More info: Tel 07940 108146, email  cardiff_troopsout@hotmail.com
Coventry: Sat 6 May 1.30 pm Hertford Street, City Centre (outside the Dog and Trumpet). More info: 077320 30231
Eastbourne: Sat 6 May 2pm. Peaceful protest at Eastbourne War Memorial (on Cornfield Roundabout). More info: Tel 01323 430040, email:  michael.05@tiscali.co.uk
Edinburgh: 12 noon, The Mound Precinct, Princes Street. Speakers: Rosie Kane, MSP, Malcolm Bruce, MSP, Zahid Ali, SPSC, Carole Alubaid, Women in Black. Co-sponsored by Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
Exeter: Sat 6 May 12 noon to 2pm Bedford Square, Exeter High Street.
Glasgow: Sat 6 May 12 noon, George Square. More info: Keir on 07815 149 739.
Huddersfield: Sat 6 May 12 Noon, Market Cross. More info: Tel 01484 846183, email  huddersfield@stopwar.org.uk
Leeds Sat 6 May 12.30pm, Briggate (Outside Body Shop). More info:  bristolstopwar@hotmail.com
Newcastle: Sat 6 May 1pm, Grey's Monument, Newcastle City Centre. More info: 0771 994 6818
Southend Sat 6 May 1pm. Die-in 2pm, Southend High Street by Millennium Clock. More info: 07748 686581. Organised by Southend Stop the War Coalition



Don't attack Iran - Bath action report

“around 25-30 people took to the streets of Bath to protest the imminent Iran war. Dressed as victims of war, the protestors staged die-ins at HSBC, E$$O and BMT, all war profiteers. We then made our way back to town centre where we 'died' and leafleted. The day was a great success (especially as the demo had only been advertised two days previously!), exept for inept policing which saw two bumbling, uptight coppers who tried to arrest a protestor first for sitting on a wall, then for chalking (apparentley criminal damage!) and then for refusing to give personal details in relation to an offence they couldn't confirm was committed! Despite this, a good day was had by all, and the start of Bath's opposittion to the next round of the war on terror has begun.”

Bristol, England
As the reality of Iraq unfolds; as the lies that took us to war become more apparent, the same people that led us to war are expecting us to believe that now Iran is armed with weapons of mass destruction, posing a As the reality of Iraq unfolds; as the lies that took us to war become more apparent, the same people that led us to war are expecting us to believe that now Iran is armed with weapons of mass destruction, posing a threat to our ‘civilisation’. We need look no further than the death and destruction in Iraq to be reminded of who the world’s real criminals are and the dangers that they present. The global anti-war movement has called for an international day of action against the threats of an attack on Iran. Join the protest in Bristol on May 6th for peace and against war.

Protest in Bristol May 6th 1pm (opposite the hippodrome) are and the dangers that they present. The global anti-war movement has called for an international day of action against the threats of an attack on Iran. Join the protest in Bristol on May 6th for peace and against war. . Meet on the Centre, opposite the Hippodrome at 1.00pm. Bring banners, placards. Tell your friends.

Bournemouth, England
(Taken from West Country Indymedia)
`Demonstrate the Impending War in Iran In Bournemouth To morrow in The Squar

Is any one going to demonstrat in Bournemouth Or am I the only one, The wether will be good and the squar will be crowded But i will be there with a banner maby. Please dont let me look like a twat on my own. Please. `
Carito


Sydney, Australia
'DON'T ATTACK IRAN' RALLY CALLED FOR MAY 6
The 2006 Cairo anti-war conference, which brought together anti-war and anti-globalisation activists from across the Middle East and the world, put out a call for demonstrations across the world on May 6 to help counter U.S. plans to attack Iran…
12 NOON SATURDAY MAY 6 @ SYDNEY TOWN HALL
ORGANISED BY STOP THE WAR COALITION


Athens, Greece

Thousands of people marched in Athens

70.000 to 100.000 people marched in Athens streets (according to the organisers of the ESF - the cops reported just 12.000).
The demonstration was a colourful caravan of people coming from all around Europe, shouting for the peace, the freedom, the civil and human right against the neoliberalism, the poverty, the repression, the unemployment.
In front of the march were the Greek and international trade Unions, the foreign political groups, members of the European Social Forum worldwide as well as immigrants, activists, ecologists, communists, leftish, social places, education networks. They were shouting, singing, even dancing on the music tempo of the loudspeakers.

The march started in front of Athena statue, at Pedio tou Areos and took a couple of hours so that the last groups could start walking, cause they were standing quite dense. It was more than 1km long. They also marched in front of the Court Yard, the Police Headquarters, the American Embassy, the war museum, the British Embassy, the EU offices and ended in front of the parliament at 6 o'clock, where an improvised street party evolved for a couple of hours.
Several riots occurred, when some demonstrators fired Molotov cocktail or threw stones against the cops. The cops were a lot; they had blocked several streets and sidewalks. When the riots started, they sprayed a lot of tear gas, so the air was even heavier for a lot of hour. About 3 people were transferred to the hospital, 30 people were detained, and 13 were officially arrested. There might be solidarity actions later on.

A music concert is going to be held tonight in the ESF area.

Here are photos from the Saturday march in Athens:

1/Photos from Athens:  http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=500918

2/ More photos:  http://athens.indymedia.org/front.php3?lang=el&article_id=500956






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